The night Forest knocked out the European champions

Liverpool had won the European Cup in 1977 and again in 1978. Nottingham Forest had won the First Division in their first season after promotion and were in the competition for the first time. The draw for the first round put the two English sides together, and so the holders were in danger before most of Europe had kicked a ball.

The City Ground

The first leg, on 13 September, went Forest's way. Garry Birtles scored after 26 minutes. Liverpool could live with that. According to Birtles, Phil Thompson told him one goal would not be enough to take to Anfield.

Then, with three minutes left, Forest scored again. Graeme Souness said later that he had been chasing the game from midfield, which left Liverpool short of shape. Colin Barrett finished it. Birtles has a memory of what he said to Thompson afterwards: "Will two be enough then?"

Anfield

The second leg drew 51,679 to Anfield. Liverpool fielded Clemence, Neal, Thompson, Hughes as captain, Dalglish, Souness, McDermott, Case, Heighway and both Kennedys. Forest's side included Peter Shilton, Viv Anderson, Kenny Burns, Larry Lloyd, John McGovern, Archie Gemmill, Tony Woodcock and John Robertson.

Liverpool needed two goals to force extra time. They never got one. With 19 minutes left Bob Paisley sent on David Fairclough and David Johnson for Case and McDermott. It made no difference. The game finished 0–0.

There was one odd detail. Bill Shankly, who had built the Liverpool side Paisley inherited, travelled on Forest's team coach. Birtles later said he could not explain how it came about: "It didn't seem normal, but not much ever did under Brian Clough."

Munich

Knocking out the holders was not the end of it. Forest beat AEK Athens, Grasshopper and Köln, and on 30 May 1979 in Munich they beat Malmö 1–0. Trevor Francis scored the goal.

It is easy now to see Forest's European Cup as a fairy tale. In September 1978 it did not feel like one to Liverpool. A newly promoted side had come to Anfield two goals up, kept a clean sheet, and gone home having ended the reign of the best team in Europe.